Quebec nurses camp out in front of National Assembly to pressure government into deal
Union has been without a collective agreement for more than 500 days
A group of nurses is staging a round-the-clock protest outside the National Assembly, urging the Legault government to finalize a deal with their union, which has been without a collective agreement for over 500 days.
The union began its demonstration on Tuesday and intends to continue until Thursday.
The 24/7 protest is meant to symbolize the continuous nature of the union members' work.
This action aligns with the start of the National Assembly's fall session.
The Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ), which represents approximately 80,000 members, including nurses, practical nurses, respiratory therapists, and clinical perfusionists, is leading the protest. Last fall, it was one of several unions involved in a major public sector labor dispute that affected hundreds of thousands of workers, causing school closures and surgery delays.
The FIQ is now the only significant union still without a collective agreement, which expired in March 2023.
"Yes, 500 days is a long time, but we're hopeful for an agreement," said Isabelle Trépanier, secretary general of the FIQ.
In April, the Quebec government and the union reached a tentative agreement, but it was rejected by the members.
Key issues in the negotiations include staff retention and mobility.
The government has proposed that nurses voluntarily move between health-care facilities to meet system needs, but the FIQ opposes this, arguing it undermines nurses' expertise and treats them as interchangeable.
Late last month, the union announced plans to stop working overtime hours starting Sept. 19.
